Daniel Knorr’s new artist’s book Pukapuka Tohunga Mahi Toi†is the fifth in his series of limited edition artist’s books titled Carte de Artist. The process involves a mapping of the city in which Knorr collects pieces of rubbish on the street. This material is then interleaved into the blank pages of the books and pressed by a 200-ton press, embossing the objects into the paper itself.

Each book sets out to respond to local concerns and histories and, for this reason, the text for the New Zealand version is entirely in Maori. This simple appropriation could also be seen to remind us that the printed word and the book are introduced, colonising forms. The cover uses the typeface Churchward Maori, designed by New Zealand type designer Joseph Churchward. The book includes a video which documents the process of making the work.

Published on the occasion of Knorr’s Artspace Auckland project, Block.